Gov. Perry signs ‘Merry Christmas’ bill

A rabbi, several Santas and a group of cheerleaders walked into — nah.

It was the Governor’s Public Reception Room, for a ceremony in which Gov. Rick Perry signed a bill into law that he said would allow people of all faiths can exchange holiday greetings and display religious scenes and symbols “even on school property.”
Perry was introduced by 8-year-old Reagan Bohac, the inspiration for the measure by Rep. Dwayne Bohac, R-Houston.

The elder Bohac said he picked up his son from school one day and Reagan told him “that they had decorated their holiday tree with holiday ornaments.” He said the school district told him they didn’t use terms like Merry Christmas because they feared litigation.

House Bill 308 by Bohac and Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville – dubbed the “Merry Christmas bill” by some backers – specifies that a school district may allow students and staff to offer :traditional greetings” associated with winter celebrations, specifying they include “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Hanukkah” and “happy holidays.”

The new law also says a district may display scenes and symbols including a menorah, nativity scene or Christmas tree if the display includes a scene or symbol of more than one religion, or of a religion and at least one secular symbol.

It says the display may not include a message that encourages adherence to a particular religious belief.

Among those on hand for the ceremony were cheerleaders from Kountze High School, who wore T-shirts saying, “I cheer for Christ.” They won a court battle allowing them to display football-game banners sporting Bible verses.
Perry said their case is “an example of the pressure on our public schools in particular to push down any reflections of religious thought or words.”

“It’s a shame that a bill like this one I’m signing today is even required, but I’m proud that we’re standing up for religious freedom in this state,” Perry said. “Religious freedom does not mean freedom from religion.”

Glenn Westbury of Houston, among a group of men in Santa-themed garb who rang bells as the measure was signed at the ceremony, gestured toward his festive outfit when asked why he supported the measure, saying, “Well .. guess.”

Rabbi Zev Johnson of the Chabad Student Center at UT said when asked if he was concerned that a measure nicknamed called the “Merry Christmas bill” would favor Christianity in schools, “I understood it was the Happy Hannukah bill.”